PRESS RELEASE: INS LifeGuard to launch FREE Medical Alarm Monitoring services to help vulnerable people and their family during Coronavirus Crisis
INS LifeGuard to launch FREE Medical Monitoring services, SmartMobile App and new Family & Carers Mobile App to help vulnerable people and their family during Coronavirus Crisis
21st April, 2020
The current coronavirus crisis has been difficult for all, especially for those who are medically vulnerable and for older persons that may now feel cut off from family and friends. Whilst social distancing measures are critical to help protect such people from contracting the virus, they can also have the unintended consequence of making them feel lonely and isolated from those they love or rely upon – which can also be harmful.
INS LifeGuard were looking for ways they could do more, not only for their current clients but also for any vulnerable people in the community at a time when family, friends, carers and village staff may not be able to check on them directly. INS have come up with some incredible free offers that can help provide security and peace of mind.
INS LifeGuard is a leading provider of Emergency Response, Medical Alarms and TeleHealth systems to the retirement village sector in Australia – and one that exclusively employs health care professionals to respond to alarms. At the forefront of their industry, INS LifeGuard’s unique product and service offering combines world-class healthcare expertise with unsurpassed technological capabilities. INS has urgently worked to bring forward the launch of some new services to assist the community at this critical time, and will also commence rolling out additional community support services.
Free Medical Monitoring and Support Services
From Monday 20th April anyone can download the free LifeGuard SmartMobile App, which puts a medical alarm system in the palm of their hand. Once registered they will receive two months free monitoring via INS LifeGuard’s Emergency Response Centre – even those who are not currently clients of INS LifeGuard. That means village residents and at-risk persons in the community who don’t currently have a personal response system available can quickly and easily access 24/7 medical monitoring by nurses, as well as LifeGuard’s other clinical and social support services.
The SmartMobile App has many of the same features of LifeGuard’s Australian-designed and internationally patented SmartHome IPD in-home medical alarm system. For those who already have the IPD, the SmartMobile App extends the functionality to their Android mobile device. When paired with the new Family & Carers Mobile App outlined below, the family will even be able to interact with the client through their SmartHome, SmartMobile, SmartWatch, or SmartHome Mate alarm systems.
Anyone can take advantage of these offers, whether or not they are currently a client of INS LifeGuard, simply by downloading and registering the free LifeGuard SmartMobile App from the Google Play Store to a compatible smartphone or tablet.* No other physical hardware is required. This service provides an added layer of security knowing you can speak to a nurse at any time of the day or night with the press of a button, whilst also providing links to family and care providers.
For more information, view the flyer here or watch a promotional video here.
Download the app from the Google Play Store here (available from the 20th April).
Launch of Family & Carers Mobile App
INS have brought forward the beta launch of their much anticipated Family & Carers Mobile App. This app allows family to interact with a loved one’s LifeGuard SmartHome IPD in-home system, LifeGuard SmartMobile App, SmartHome Mate or the LifeGuard SmartWatch. Family and carers will be able to receive alerts of any alarms or critical events, and set Geofence areas† that alert them when the user enters or leaves those areas – particularly useful if they’re worried about them leaving home during the current crisis.
They will also be able to monitor any vital signs the client records via the free TeleHealth Service, as well as send messages, make telephone or video‡ calls, and other social interaction. In fact, INS will also offer two months free phone calls between the SmartHome, SmartMobile App or SmartHome Mate and the new Family & Carers Mobile App.
For more information, view the flyer here. INS LifeGuard will release the beta version of The Family & Carers Mobile App on the 28th April.
It will be available for download from the Google Play Store here.
Village Managers Version of Family & Carers Mobile App
During the current crisis, village staff are increasingly finding they can’t interact with their residents directly. Whilst INS LifeGuard already has a secure web-based Manager’s Portal that allows village staff to communicate with their residents SmartHome systems, we’re also launching a version of the Family & Carers Mobile App specifically tailored for village operators. This will leverage the LifeGuard SmartHome Ecosystem to allow village staff and care managers to remotely interact with their residents via a convenient mobile app.
It will enable them to send messages, make phone and video‡ calls, view reports and receive alerts from the residents’ alarm systems – individually, or as a group. The beta version of the app will also be provided free to village managers for two months.
Additional Free Client Services
INS, working with its partner Vodafone, will also be providing free Phone Calls between Village Managers and Staff to SmartHome devices using the Family & Carers App for two months.
In addition INS will provide free phone calls between clients, family, carers and village managers who use our new Family & Carers App, as mentioned above.
For those clients who download the SmartMobile App they will be able to also enjoy free video‡ calling with family, carers and village staff whom the client has authorised to use the new Family & Carers Mobile App. Importantly there is no complicated setup required and no need for any third party apps.
Other Ways INS Will Support the Community
LifeGuard’s free Chat Line and Medical Information Line services are being ramped up to deal with the increasing influx of calls from affected clients and their families.
INS is increasing stock of the LifeGuard SmartWatch, a great choice for those who don’t have a mobile or in-home alarm system. The LifeGuard SmartWatch has many of the same features and functionality of the SmartMobile Alarm System in an easy-to-use watch. You can view our promo video for the LifeGuard SmartWatch here.
INS is also looking to provide TeleHealth / remote virtual consultations via audio/video calls with a GP, psychologist or nurse via the SmartHome Ecosystem in an effort to further increase the support options available for those who are vulnerable at this critical time.
Through the above initiatives, INS will provide up to 10,000 of the above services to new clients at no cost over the next 2 months to the value of up to $500,000.
* Compatible smartphone or tablet to run the LifeGuard SmartMobile app requires a minimum of Android version 4.1 and at least a 5″ Screen.
† Geofence areas work with mobile alarm systems only. Geofence areas can be set-up via the mobile alarm system itself or via the Family & Carers Mobile App. Alerts are only received via the Family & Carers Mobile App and are dependent on the user having their mobile alarm with them and powered on at the time the alert is triggered..
‡ Video calls will be possible between the Family & Carers Mobile App and the SmartMobile or SmartHome Mate from around the 12th May. Video calls to the SmartHome IP Dialler and SmartWatch is currently in development.
About The INS Group
The INS Group is a leading family-owned Australian Health Care Company dedicated to delivering quality services that support people in their home. Established in 1984 as the Illawarra Nursing Service, INS is one of the oldest care providers in Australia, with substantial experience in providing health care services in the community, as well as eHealth, TeleHealth and accompanying assistive technologies. The INS Group currently incorporates INS LifeGuard, a specialised response centre operation and provider of next generation SmartHome Medical Alarm systems with integrated virtual care services and technologies, which are available Australia-wide and throughout New Zealand; INS CareCall, providing Emergency Response Equipment and Services; and INS Technologies, developer of health-related technologies.
